The Carolina Panthers have been talking about culture since the day Dave Canales arrived. Now, five weeks into his second campaign, fans are finally seeing what it looks like when that talk turns into action.
Carolina's comeback win over the Miami Dolphins was proof that Canales’ player-driven, communication-first philosophy is taking hold.
Canales has preached open dialogue from the start. He wants players to speak up, challenge ideas, and take ownership of the game plan. And against Miami, that approach paid off tangibly.
Carolina Panthers' culture is changing for the better under Dave Canales
From running back Rico Dowdle calling his own number on a key run to defensive lineman Derrick Brown asking for more pass rush reps and delivering a sack, the Panthers’ latest win was full of moments where players’ voices shaped the result.
“I love the challenge as coaches,” Canales said. “And I told them I’m gonna call this early, so you better do something with it, and that’s for Rico, that’s for the quarterback, that’s for the defensive guys asking for opportunities. Derrick asked for more pass rush opportunities, and he got a sack early on with that.”
That buy-in has created a shift inside the building. Canales described moments on the sideline where Bryce Young and Brown spoke directly after a tough series, which resulted in the signal-caller's second turnover in as many drives.
“To hear our leaders talking together across the ball, that’s what it takes,” Canales said. “It doesn’t matter how you end up in this situation, can you go out and execute one more time? The belief is there.”
But perhaps the clearest sign of Carolina’s emerging identity came on the ground. Behind a reworked offensive line featuring Brady Christensen at right guard, the Panthers dominated running to his side, piling up 171 of Dowdle’s 206 rushing yards in that direction.
“There were some front side match up stuff for us,” Canales said. “Brady gives us an opportunity to be really fast and displace the front side. … It wasn’t really until a couple of series where we realized we were getting a lot of positive results over there.”
Christensen summed it up best: “We wanted to run the rock with Rico. Things got started kind of working and you gotta stick with what’s working.”
This week was a clear message to the rest of the NFL: watch out for the Panthers. Because the team that once struggled to find its footing is now playing with confidence, unity, and a sense of purpose that’s impossible to ignore.